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Asset References

Cross-reference assets to Business Central documents automatically, creating a complete audit trail of all document interactions throughout each asset's lifecycle.

[Screenshot Placeholder: Asset References list page]

Understanding Asset References​

What are Asset References?​

Asset References = Automatic links between assets and Business Central documents

Track:

  • Purchase documents - When asset was acquired (receipts, invoices)

  • Sales documents - When asset was sold or shipped (shipments, invoices)

  • Transfer documents - When asset was transferred (shipments, receipts)

  • Manual references - Custom document linkages added by users

  • Service history - Service orders and maintenance records (manual)

Key Benefit: Complete traceability of asset lifecycle through documents

[Screenshot Placeholder: Asset Card with Asset References action]

How References Work​

Automatic Creation:

Document Posted (Purchase/Sales/Transfer) ↓ Asset Line Exists on Document ↓ (automatic) Asset Reference Created ↓ Reference Entry Stored ↓ Viewable from Asset Card or Reference List

Manual Creation:

  • Users can also create references manually for custom tracking

  • Service orders, warranty claims, inspections

  • External system references

Asset Reference Types​

1. Purchase References​

Created When:

  • Purchase Receipt posted with asset lines

  • Purchase Invoice posted with asset lines

  • Purchase Return Shipment posted with asset lines

  • Purchase Credit Memo posted with asset lines

Information Captured:

  • Document Type: Purchase Receipt, Purchase Invoice, etc.

  • Document No.: Posted receipt/invoice number

  • Vendor No.: Which vendor

  • Posting Date: When document posted

  • External Document No.: Vendor invoice number (if entered)

  • Description: Asset description at time of purchase

Use Cases:

  • Track original acquisition documents

  • Warranty verification (link to purchase invoice)

  • Vendor history (which vendor supplied asset)

  • Cost tracking (link to invoiced amounts)

[Screenshot Placeholder: Purchase Reference example]

2. Sales References​

Created When:

  • Sales Shipment posted with asset lines

  • Sales Invoice posted with asset lines

  • Sales Return Receipt posted with asset lines

  • Sales Credit Memo posted with asset lines

Information Captured:

  • Document Type: Sales Shipment, Sales Invoice, etc.

  • Document No.: Posted shipment/invoice number

  • Customer No.: Which customer

  • Posting Date: When document posted

  • External Document No.: Customer PO number (if entered)

  • Description: Asset description at time of sale

Use Cases:

  • Track asset sales and disposals

  • Customer asset history (which assets sold to which customers)

  • Revenue tracking (link to invoiced amounts)

  • Return tracking (link return receipts to original shipments)

3. Transfer References​

Created When:

  • Transfer Shipment posted with asset lines

  • Transfer Receipt posted with asset lines

Information Captured:

  • Document Type: Transfer Shipment, Transfer Receipt

  • Document No.: Posted transfer shipment/receipt number

  • Transfer Order No.: Original transfer order reference

  • From Location / To Location: Where asset moved from/to

  • Posting Date: When transfer posted

  • Description: Asset description

Use Cases:

  • Track asset movements between locations

  • Audit trail of internal transfers

  • Reconcile shipments with receipts

  • Location history

4. Manual References​

Created By: Users manually adding references

Information Captured:

  • Reference Type: Manual

  • Document Type: Custom (e.g., "Service Order", "Warranty Claim", "Inspection")

  • Document No.: User-entered document number

  • Description: User-entered description

  • Date: User-entered date

  • External Document No.: Optional external reference

Use Cases:

  • Link assets to service orders (not automated)

  • Track warranty claims

  • Link to external systems (RMA numbers, tickets)

  • Custom documentation needs

[Screenshot Placeholder: Manual reference creation]

Viewing Asset References​

From Asset Card​

Step 1: Open Asset Card

  1. Navigate to Asset List

  2. Open specific asset

Step 2: Open Asset References

  1. Click Asset References action (Navigate ribbon or Actions menu)

  2. Asset Reference List page opens

  3. Filtered to current asset

What You See:

  • All references for this asset

  • Sorted by posting date (newest first typically)

  • Document types and numbers

  • Related parties (vendors, customers, locations)

[Screenshot Placeholder: Asset Card Navigate to Asset References]

Asset Reference List Fields​

Entry No.

  • Unique reference identifier

  • Auto-assigned

  • Permanent

Asset No.

  • Which asset (current asset when filtered from Asset Card)

  • Can filter to see all references for one asset

Reference Type

  • Purchase, Sales, Transfer, Manual

  • Primary categorization

Document Type

  • Receipt, Invoice, Shipment, Credit Memo, etc.

  • Specific document type within reference type

Document No.

  • Posted document number

  • Links to actual posted document

  • Clickable (drills down to document)

External Document No.

  • Vendor invoice, customer PO, etc.

  • External system reference

  • Critical for cross-system traceability

Related Party

  • Vendor No., Customer No., or Location Code

  • Who/where asset interacted with

Posting Date

  • When document was posted

  • Chronological ordering

  • Warranty date calculations

Description

  • Asset description or notes

  • Context for reference

User ID

  • Who created reference (for manual references)

  • Audit trail

[Screenshot Placeholder: Asset Reference List with fields labeled]

From Asset Reference Pages​

Method 1: Direct Search

  1. Press Alt+Q

  2. Enter "Asset References"

  3. Choose related link

  4. Asset Reference List page opens (all references, all assets)

Method 2: From Role Center

  1. Navigate: Analysis → Asset References

Use Cases:

  • Search for specific document number

  • Find all assets on a purchase receipt

  • View recent asset transactions

  • Audit all asset document linkages

Filtering Asset References​

By Asset​

Filter: Asset No. = ASSET-001

Shows: All references for ASSET-001

Use: "Show me all documents for this asset"

By Document​

Filter: Document No. = PR-12345

Shows: All assets on purchase receipt PR-12345

Use: "Which assets were on this receipt?"

By Date Range​

Filter: Posting Date = 01/01/2024..01/31/2024

Shows: All references in January 2024

Use: Monthly/quarterly reference reports

By Vendor/Customer​

Filter: Related Party = V00001

Shows: All assets purchased from vendor V00001

Use: Vendor history, vendor asset portfolio

By Reference Type​

Filter: Reference Type = Purchase

Shows: Only purchase-related references

Use: Acquisition history, warranty tracking

Creating Manual References​

When to Create Manual References​

Common Scenarios:

  • Link asset to service order (not automated)

  • Document warranty claims

  • Track external RMA numbers

  • Link to maintenance records

  • Reference external system documents

  • Custom business process documentation

Step-by-Step: Create Manual Reference​

Scenario: Document service order for asset maintenance

Step 1: Open Asset References

  1. Open Asset Card for asset

  2. Click Asset References action

  3. Asset Reference List opens (filtered to asset)

Step 2: Add New Reference

  1. Click New or press Ctrl+N

  2. New reference line created

Step 3: Fill Required Fields

Asset No. (auto-filled if from Asset Card)

  • The asset being referenced

  • Example: SRV-001

Reference Type

  • Select: Manual

  • For manual references

Document Type

  • Free-text field for manual references

  • Example: "Service Order"

  • Standard types: Service Order, Warranty Claim, Inspection Report

Document No. (required)

  • Document number or identifier

  • Example: SRV-2024-001

Posting Date (required)

  • Date of the event or document

  • Example: 2024-03-15 (service order date)

Step 4: Fill Optional Fields

Description (optional but recommended)

  • Additional details about reference

  • Example: "Annual inspection completed, passed all checks"

External Document No. (optional but recommended)

  • External system reference

  • Example: RMA-12345, TICKET-8472, WO-2024-001

Related Party (optional)

  • Vendor, Customer, or Location (if applicable)

  • Leave blank if not relevant

Step 5: Save

  1. Navigate away or click Save

  2. Reference created and linked to asset

  3. Appears in asset's reference list

[Screenshot Placeholder: Manual reference creation form]

Complete Workflows​

Workflow 1: Tracking Asset Purchase to Sale​

Scenario: Asset acquired, used, then sold - track entire lifecycle

Purchase Phase (Automatic Reference)

  1. Create Purchase Order with asset line

  2. Asset No.: ASSET-001, Vendor: V001

  3. Post Receipt

  4. Automatic: Purchase Reference created

    • ASSET-001, Purchase Receipt, PR-2024-001, Vendor V001, Date: 01/15/2024

Usage Phase (Manual References)

  1. Service Order: SRV-2024-050 (03/20/2024)

    • Manual Reference: Document Type "Service Order", Document No. SRV-2024-050

  2. Inspection: RPT-2024-005 (06/10/2024)

    • Manual Reference: Document Type "Inspection", Document No. RPT-2024-005

Sale Phase (Automatic Reference)

  1. Create Sales Order with asset line

  2. Asset No.: ASSET-001, Customer: C001

  3. Post Shipment

  4. Automatic: Sales Reference created

    • ASSET-001, Sales Shipment, SS-2024-100, Customer C001, Date: 09/30/2024

Complete Reference History:

ASSET-001 References:

  1. Purchase Receipt PR-2024-001 (Vendor V001) - 01/15/2024
  2. Service Order SRV-2024-050 (Manual) - 03/20/2024
  3. Inspection RPT-2024-005 (Manual) - 06/10/2024
  4. Sales Shipment SS-2024-100 (Customer C001) - 09/30/2024

Benefit: Complete lifecycle documentation

[Screenshot Placeholder: Complete reference timeline]

Workflow 2: Warranty Tracking​

Scenario: Asset under warranty, needs warranty claim tracking

Purchase (warranty start):

  • Purchase Receipt PR-2024-001 posted → Purchase Reference created automatically

  • Posting Date: 01/15/2024 = Warranty Start Date

  • Warranty Period: 2 years

  • Warranty Expiration: 01/15/2026

Failure (within warranty, 08/20/2024):

  • Asset fails 7 months after purchase

  • Create Manual Reference:

    • Document Type: "Warranty Claim"

    • Document No.: WC-2024-0050

    • Description: "Motor failure, submitted warranty claim to vendor"

    • External Document No.: RMA-12345 (vendor's RMA)

    • Posting Date: 08/20/2024

Resolution:

  • Vendor repairs/replaces asset

  • Create Manual Reference:

    • Document Type: "Warranty Resolution"

    • Document No.: WC-2024-0050-RESOLVED

    • Description: "Motor replaced under warranty, asset returned"

    • External Document No.: RMA-12345 (same)

    • Posting Date: 09/05/2024

Benefit: Complete warranty claim history, linked to purchase date for verification

Workflow 3: Multi-Location Asset Movement Tracking​

Scenario: Asset moves through multiple locations over time

Transfer 1: HQ → WAREHOUSE (Automatic)

  • Transfer Shipment posted → Transfer Reference created automatically

    • Transfer Shipment TS-2024-001, From: HQ, To: WAREHOUSE, Date: 02/01/2024

  • Transfer Receipt posted → Transfer Reference created automatically

    • Transfer Receipt TR-2024-001, From: HQ, To: WAREHOUSE, Date: 02/03/2024

Transfer 2: WAREHOUSE → BRANCH (Automatic)

  • Transfer Shipment posted → Transfer Reference created automatically

    • Transfer Shipment TS-2024-025, From: WAREHOUSE, To: BRANCH, Date: 05/10/2024

  • Transfer Receipt posted → Transfer Reference created automatically

    • Transfer Receipt TR-2024-025, From: WAREHOUSE, To: BRANCH, Date: 05/12/2024

Asset References Show Complete Route:

ASSET-050 References:

  1. Transfer Shipment TS-2024-001 (HQ → WAREHOUSE) - 02/01/2024
  2. Transfer Receipt TR-2024-001 (HQ → WAREHOUSE) - 02/03/2024
  3. Transfer Shipment TS-2024-025 (WAREHOUSE → BRANCH) - 05/10/2024
  4. Transfer Receipt TR-2024-025 (WAREHOUSE → BRANCH) - 05/12/2024

Benefit: Complete location history via references

Use Cases and Benefits​

Use Case 1: Auditing Asset Acquisition​

Question: When was this asset acquired and from which vendor?

Solution:

  1. Open Asset Card

  2. Click Asset References action

  3. Filter: Reference Type = Purchase

  4. Find Purchase Receipt or Purchase Invoice reference

  5. See: Vendor, Date, Receipt/Invoice No., External Doc No. (vendor invoice)

Benefit: Instant acquisition history without manual records

Use Case 2: Customer Asset History​

Question: Which assets have we sold to Customer X?

Solution:

  1. Open Asset References page (all references)

  2. Filter: Reference Type = Sales, Related Party = Customer X

  3. View all sales references

  4. List shows all assets sold to that customer with dates

Benefit: Customer asset portfolio visibility, service planning

Use Case 3: Maintenance History​

Question: What maintenance has been performed on this asset?

Solution:

  1. Open Asset Card

  2. Click Asset References action

  3. Filter: Reference Type = Manual, Document Type = "Service Order"

  4. View all service order references

  5. See dates, descriptions, service providers (if noted)

Benefit: Complete maintenance audit trail, service history for warranty

Use Case 4: Warranty Expiration​

Question: When does warranty expire and what's the purchase doc?

Solution:

  1. Open Asset Card

  2. Click Asset References action

  3. Find Purchase Receipt or Invoice reference (first purchase reference)

  4. Note Posting Date = Purchase Date

  5. Calculate warranty expiration: Purchase Date + Warranty Period

Example: Purchase Date 01/15/2024 + 2 years = Warranty Expires 01/15/2026

Benefit: Warranty verification for claims, vendor negotiations

Use Case 5: Reconciling Shipments and Receipts​

Question: Was this transfer shipment ever received?

Solution:

  1. Open Asset References page

  2. Filter: Document No. = TS-2024-050 (shipment)

  3. Note Transfer Order No. from shipment reference

  4. Filter: Transfer Order No. = same, Document Type = Transfer Receipt

  5. Check if receipt reference exists with same Transfer Order No.

Benefit: Identify unreceived shipments, follow up on missing receipts

Best Practices​

Rely on Automatic References​

Recommendation: Let document posting create references automatically

Automatic is Better:

  • No manual data entry errors

  • Guaranteed consistency

  • Always up-to-date

  • Links to actual posted documents

Manual Only When:

  • Document not integrated (e.g., external service orders)

  • Custom business process needs

  • Supplementary documentation

Use Consistent Manual Reference Types​

Standardize Document Types:

  • "Service Order" (not "Service", "Maintenance", "Repair")

  • "Warranty Claim" (not "Warranty", "RMA", "Claim")

  • "Inspection" (not "Inspection Report", "Audit", "Check")

Benefits:

  • Easier filtering

  • Consistent reporting

  • Better team communication

  • Professional documentation

Best Practice: Use External Document No. field for external references

Examples:

  • RMA numbers from vendors

  • Ticket numbers from help desk

  • Work order numbers from CMMS

  • Invoice numbers from suppliers

  • Customer PO numbers

Benefit: Bi-directional traceability (Business Central ↔ External System)

Regular Reference Audits​

Monthly Review:

  1. Check for missing references (documents without asset links)

  2. Verify manual references have correct dates

  3. Ensure external document numbers captured

  4. Follow up on unresolved issues (e.g., unreceived shipments)

Quarterly Deep Dive:

  • Review reference completeness

  • Audit warranty claims

  • Verify service history accuracy

Troubleshooting​

Problem: No References Created After Posting Document​

Cause: Document posted without asset lines

Solution:

  1. Verify asset lines were added to document before posting

  2. Check posted document - view asset lines subpage

  3. If asset lines exist but no reference:

    • Verify document integration enabled

    • Check for posting errors in BC error log

    • Create manual reference as workaround

Problem: Cannot Find Purchase Reference​

Cause: Asset acquired via journal (not purchase document)

Explanation:

  • Asset Journal posting does NOT create references

  • Only Purchase/Sales/Transfer documents create automatic references

Solution: Create manual reference to document acquisition

  • Document Type: "Manual Acquisition" or "Journal Entry"

  • Document No.: Journal Batch + Posting Date

  • Description: Details of acquisition

Problem: Duplicate References​

Cause: Manual reference created for document that auto-created one

Solution:

  1. Identify duplicate (same document no., same asset, same date)

  2. Delete manual reference (keep automatic one)

  3. Prevention: Check if reference exists before creating manual

Problem: Cannot Edit Reference​

Cause: Reference is in Asset Reference Entries (read-only historical table)

Solution:

  • References in Asset Reference Entries are permanent

  • Cannot edit historical entries (by design for audit trail)

  • If correction needed:

    • Create new correcting manual reference

    • Document in description why correction was necessary

    • Link to original reference in description

References vs. Holder Entries​

Common Question: What's the difference?

Asset References​

Purpose: Link assets to documents

Tracks: Document interactions

  • Purchase Receipts

  • Sales Shipments

  • Transfer Shipments

  • Invoices

  • Manual documentation

View: "Which documents touched this asset?"

Focus: Document-centric audit trail

Holder Entries​

Purpose: Track asset custody changes

Tracks: Holder changes

  • Customer → Location

  • Location → Vendor

  • Location → Location

  • Any custody transfer

View: "Who had custody and when?"

Focus: Custody-centric audit trail

Both Together​

Complete Picture:

  • Holder Entries: WHERE the asset is and WHO has it

  • Asset References: WHICH DOCUMENTS moved it there

Example:

  • Holder Entry: Asset transferred from Location WAREHOUSE to Customer C001 on 2024-03-15

  • Asset Reference: Sales Shipment SS-2024-100 (document that caused transfer)

Benefit: Complete audit trail from both perspectives

See Also:

  • Purchase Document Integration - Automatic purchase references

  • Sales Document Integration - Automatic sales references

  • Transfer Document Integration - Automatic transfer references

  • Holder Management - Custody history

  • Reporting and Analysis - Analyzing reference data

Prerequisites:

  • Document Integration enabled (for automatic references)

  • Assets created and managed

  • Documents posted with asset lines

Next Steps:

  • Enable document integration (if not already)

  • Review existing references for your assets

  • Create manual references for historical data

  • Use references for warranty tracking

  • Export reference data for analysis

Tip: Asset References are your complete document audit trail. Enable automatic reference creation through document integration, then supplement with manual references for service orders and custom tracking. Use External Document No. field religiously for cross-system traceability - your future self will thank you during audits!